The best time to plant grass seed in Minnesota generally is late summer to early fall when the soil is the right temperature. Certain varieties of grass do well when planted in late winter or early spring, however.
Seeding grass at the right time is crucial for both new and existing lawns. If you don’t, the grass won’t take root.
Key Takeaways
Best seasons to plant: Late summer to early fall, when the soil temperature is from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, is the best time to plant cool-season grasses.
Winter seeding works, too: Snow protects the newly seeded grass from being carried away by wind and wildlife.
The best grass seed: Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and tall fescue perform the best in Minnesota’s freezing winters and warm summers.
Use a good approach when planting: Prepare your yard, spread grass seed with a drop or broadcast spreader, water properly, and remove weeds immediately.
Table of Contents:
- Best Time to Plant Kentucky Bluegrass
- Best Time to Plant Perennial Ryegrass
- Best Time to Plant Fine Fescue
- Best Time to Plant Tall Fescue
- How to Plant Grass Seed in Minnesota
- Can I Plant Grass Seed in the Winter?
- Best Grasses for Minnesota
- FAQs
Best Time to Plant Kentucky Bluegrass
If you want to grow Kentucky bluegrass, late summer to early fall, when the soil temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, is the best time. The soil is warm but not too hot now, making it ideal for Kentucky bluegrass to establish. You can use a soil thermometer to check the soil temperature.
Prepare the soil properly and water continuously during germination to achieve a lush and healthy lawn that can make your property stand out in the neighborhood. Since the summers in Minnesota aren’t too hot, you can also plant Kentucky bluegrass in spring. But they have to contend with weeds and require frequent watering to stay green during the summer.
Best Time to Plant Perennial Ryegrass
The best time to plant perennial ryegrass is from late summer to early fall when the soil temperature is 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This grass also takes root in late winter to early spring when the soil temperature is between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
With proper soil preparation and continuous watering during germination, perennial ryegrass will grow lush and healthy. You can also plant perennial ryegrass in spring, but you have to water more often to keep the grass from going dormant.
Best Time to Plant Fine Fescue
Fine fescue grows best from late summer to early fall when soil temperature ranges from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also plant this grass in early spring, but the grass has to contend with weeds for nutrients and water.
To maximize success, prepare the soil properly and water continuously during germination.
Best Time to Plant Tall Fescue
Like fine fescue, the best time to plant tall fescue is from late summer to early fall. The soil temperature ranges from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit during this period, creating a perfect environment for the grass to establish.
Prepare the soil properly and water continuously during germination to achieve a lush lawn. You can also plant fine fescue in spring, but be ready to water the grass frequently during summer.
How to Plant Grass Seed in Minnesota
Now that you know when to plant grass seeds, here’s how to plant them:
Clean the Space
Remove debris and weeds to create a clean space for plants to grow. Use a shovel to remove weeds, but don’t leave the roots behind. You can also use a hand weeder or simply hand-pull the weeds. Check out our guide on removing weeds.
Prepare Your Lawn
- Perform a soil test: Conduct a test to know if your soil has all the nutrients to grow healthy. You can test the soil with a DIY kit or send it to a local testing laboratory. Here’s a detailed guide on testing soil.
- Amend the soil as needed: If the pH is low, add lime to raise it. If it’s high, add sulfur to lower it. Apply fertilizer to feed your grass the necessary nutrients and add compost to improve texture.
- Level the surface: Level the soil with a garden rake to prevent water from pooling.
- Improve drainage: If your yard has poor drainage, install French drains and slope the ground away from the house to prevent waterlogging.
Prepare the Seedbed
Till the top three to four inches of the soil and remove roots, rocks, and large clumps to create a loose surface.
If you have dense or compacted soil, we recommend aerating your lawn to allow air, water, and other nutrients to penetrate the roots more effectively and make it easier for new grass to spread its roots. Here’s a detailed guide on aerating a lawn.
Spread the Grass Seed
You can use a drop or broadcast spreader to distribute grass seeds evenly. Broadcast spreaders disperse seeds widely and are ideal for large lawns. Drop spreaders disperse seeds in a controlled manner and are a better choice for smaller lawns.
Here’s how to seed your lawn:
- Use the right setting: Fill the spreader and set it to disperse seeds according to the recommended rate on your seed package.
- Overlap passes: Overlap each pass slightly with the spreader to avoid gaps or uneven coverage.
- Bi-directional seeding: Sow the first half of the seed in one direction (north to south) and the remaining half perpendicular to the first direction (east to west).
- Rake: Lightly rake the area to help the seed settle into the soil.
- Starter fertilizer: Apply starter fertilizer to give your grass the nutrients for seedling growth and protect the seed from desiccation and birds.
Pre-Germination Lawn Care
After sowing the seed, proper care is necessary for a lush and healthy lawn. Follow this watering schedule:
- During the first and second weeks, water your lawn two to three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes per session to keep the soil and seed moist.
- In the fourth and fifth weeks, increase the watering duration to 20 to 30 minutes per session, two to three times daily, to promote deeper root growth.
- From the fifth through eighth weeks, water for 20 to 30 minutes per session, two to three times every other day.
Post-Germination Lawn Care
After the grass grows over an inch, usually after the ninth week, you can transition to the recommended watering schedule. Most varieties need an inch of watering per week, which you can split into three 20-minute sessions.
Besides watering, here’s how you can care for your newly seeded yard:
- Avoid foot traffic: Never walk on newly seeded grass because they aren’t strong enough to handle foot traffic.
- Mow: Avoid mowing your lawn until it’s 3 to 4 inches tall.
- Weed control: Remove weeds by hand as soon as they grow to prevent them from competing with grass seeds. Avoid using pre-emergent herbicides because they slow seed germination.
- Dethatch and aerate: If you’re overseeding your lawn to fix bare spots, dethatch and aerate to improve seed-to-soil contact.
Can I Plant Grass Seed in the Winter?
Yes, but you should seed at the right time. Check the soil temperature and wait till it drops below 45 degrees so the grass goes dormant during winter and sprouts in the spring. The benefit of planting grass in winter is that the snow protects the newly seeded grass from being carried away by wind and wildlife.
You can start watering and caring for your lawn as spring begins. Here’s a handy lawn care schedule guide for Minnesota.
Best Grasses for Minnesota
Minnesota has a continental climate with freezing winters and warm summers. Cool-season grasses perform the best here. Minnesota’s USDA Plant Hardiness Zone ranges from zone 3a in the north to zone 5a in most of Southern Minnesota.
Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and tall fescue are the best grasses for Minnesota.
FAQs
What is the best time of day to plant grass?
Morning is the best time to seed grass because you get enough time to prepare your lawn, spread the seed, and water before the midday heat can dry it out.
Which is the best low-maintenance grass for Minnesota lawns?
Fine fescue is an excellent choice for homeowners who don’t want to spend much time maintaining their lawns. It requires minimal fertilization and mowing.
What are the best native plants for Minnesota?
Native plants can transform your lawn from ordinary to extraordinary. Minnesota is home to over 1,800 plant species, and these are some of the best plants to grow:
- Rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)
- Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
- Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis)
- Lavender Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
- Foamflower (Tiarella)
When to Hire a LawnStarter Pro
If you need help choosing and planting the right grass seed or with any lawn maintenance activities, get in touch with LawnStarter. Our pros have the experience to transform your backyard into a place you love the most.
Main Photo Credit: AlexiusHoratius / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
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